Stacey T. Hayashi is a Hawaii-based serial entrepreneur and founder of the successful PainaGirl family of websites, which includes Hawaiian Wedding Shop. A former software engineer before starting her own companies, Stacey is one of the earliest pioneers in the development of internet-based businesses focused on the manufacturing and distribution of Hawaiian products, and brings a formidable set of planning and operational skills to both her technology-based businesses as well as the multitude of social and advocacy enterprises that she devotes her time to.
She is also a fashion designer, designing and manufacturing contemporary Hawaiian wedding dresses since 2002, but it was her interest in Japanese American and Hawaii culture that led to the development of a multimedia project celebrating the heroism and cultural significance of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and members of the Military Intelligence Service.
Her historically accurate manga Journey of Heroes, which she wrote and published in 2012, is internationally-acclaimed, garnering media attention in the US, Japan, Italy and France. In addition to her manga, she has executive produced two films (short narrative and documentary) about Herb Yanamura, Military Intelligence Service linguist, and the Battle of Okinawa, which screened at the Hawaii International Film Festival in 2015. She is currently screenwriter and executive producer for the unnamed 100th/442/MIS origins film project for the 442nd RCT Foundation.
Check back tomorrow for another amazing artist!